Immigration Supporters Strike Back at Boston Naysayers

Supporters of an immigration overhaul moved Friday to discredit claims that the Boston Marathon bombings undermine the case for comprehensive changes.

The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, published a blog post in the afternoon arguing that passage of a Senate bill that would strengthen border security but also provide a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrant residents would enhance national security and only help in the effort to prevent future terrorist attacks. The bombings were allegedly committed by ethnic Chechen immigrants, one of whom became a U.S. citizen last year.

“Details about the Boston bombers are surfacing by the minute, but many opponents of immigration reform are already using it as an excuse to oppose reform. There is no reason to assume that continuing the status quo immigration policy will prevent future terrorist attacks,” Cato Immigration Policy Analyst Alex Nowrasteh wrote. “Legalizing the peaceful and otherwise law-abiding unauthorized immigrants here will allow law enforcement to focus on legitimate national security and crime threats.”

Opponents of the bipartisan Senate proposal — and others who might support it but remain undecided on the legislation — made a direct connection between the immigrant background of the Boston bombing suspects and the push for a comprehensive overhaul in Congress.

They essentially suggested that regularizing illegal immigrant residents and increasing the number of immigration visas granted for high- and low-skill employment would jeopardize national security by making it more likely for potential terrorist to legally enter the United States. Both the Senate bill and a comprehensive House proposal that is still being negotiated include these measures.

Supporters of a comprehensive immigration overhaul are worried that opponents might have finally found, in the immigrant backgrounds of the Boston bombing suspects, a way to halt the political momentum that has bolstered the prospects for congressional action. A spokesman for Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., joined the chorus of “gang of eight” immigration negotiators attempting to rebut the charges leveled by the opponents of their bill, as did Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John McCain, R-Ariz., who issued this joint statement.

“In the wake of this week’s terrorist attack in Boston, some have already suggested that the circumstances of this terrible tragedy are justification for delaying or stopping entirely the effort for comprehensive immigration reform. In fact the opposite is true,” McCain and Graham said. “Immigration reform will strengthen our nation’s security by helping us identify exactly who has entered our country and who has left – a basic function of government that our broken immigration system is incapable of accomplishing today. The status quo is unacceptable. We have 11 million people living in the shadows, which leaves this nation vulnerable to a myriad of threats. That is all the more reason why comprehensive immigration reform is so essential. By modernizing our system of legal immigration, identifying and conducting background checks on people here illegally, and finally securing our border, we will make America more secure.”

In an email, a Senate Democratic aide made a similar case. This aide said that the gang of eight proposal could be amended to include provisions to fill any holes in current immigration law might have contributed to what happened in Boston. Here are the three counterpoints offered by this Democratic aide:

1. There are not enough facts out yet regarding this case; it is irresponsible to jump to conclusions. Opponents of an immigration overhaul who are trying to exploit the tragedy in Boston for political reasons are only discrediting themselves.
2. If federal officials find that this case exposes any gaps in the system that have not already been addressed, an immigration overhaul is a chance to close those gaps.
3. An immigration overhaul will make the country safer by bringing people out of the shadows, having them undergo background checks and register. This will better enable law enforcement to know who is here, and who is truly pursuing the American dream versus who is here to do the country harm.

If McCain and Graham suggest some thing I would run in a totally diffrent direction these to has beens need to be gone along with their buddy Obama. WE need to see what thes damn raghead Mullas or what ever they call these damn camel humping misrable back stabing terrorist that O bama will not allow to be investigated. The Southern Poverty law group is allways claiming they are investigating hate groups I would like to see their file on these slimeball Muslims.I dare or should I say challange them to bring out their file on these lying murdering bunch of pig dung

http://www.facebook.com/people/Will-Bishop/858105135 Will Bishop

I think you’re trying to set a record for most down-votes.

Charles Lufkin

Amnesty is dead.Rubio-Schumer would allow millions more third worlders into the country.Our liberal immigration policies allowed these radical,muslim, terrorists into our country.

http://www.facebook.com/sello.disquero Sello Disquero

We have foreign nationals, bombing innocent women and children. One of such bomber should have been deported years ago, after being convicted of Violence, yet some politicians are more concern with winning votes, than protecting all of us. And what’s truly unbelievable is that we still have politicians, trying to argue, that in order to make the country safer, we must give citizenship to everyone that is here. MY GOD!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON?…

The reason that the immigration system is broken, is because the immigration laws are not being enforced… iT’s that plain and simple. And innocent people are paying with their lives… DOES ANYBODY CARE?… ANYBODY?

http://www.facebook.com/mindycamphouse Mindy Robinson

There are not enough facts out yet regarding this case; it is
irresponsible to jump to conclusions. – Now, I want this aide to make their media apologize for blaming the “right wing” for this bombing.

Opponents of an immigration
overhaul who are trying to exploit the tragedy in Boston for political
reasons are only discrediting themselves. – Excuse me, but, if I recall correctly obama did exactly this, exploited a tragedy for political reasons.

An immigration overhaul will make the country safer by bringing people
out of the shadows, having them undergo background checks and register.
This will better enable law enforcement to know who is here, and who is
truly pursuing the American dream versus who is here to do the country
harm. – This will ensure even more harm to Americans as this admin does not arrest criminals if they are a “minority group” . They bend over backwards, sacrifice the innocent to protect the “minority group” , as proven with amnesty.

bobwhite1935

I wonder if the illegal immigrants get to become USA citizens will barack hussein obama come forward & be legalized with the rest of them?

bobwhite1935

Do the democrats, McCain & Graham who want to make illegal immigrants legal citizens think that any illegal immigrant is going to come forward to be made a citizen of the USA & say I am a terrorist & I plan to kill as many USA citizens as I can, will you please make me a USA citizen. The democrats say they will secure the southern border but that is another of the bHo & democrat lies & there will be many many more illegals that will not become citizens that intend to kill Americans. Do they think these killers are idiots?

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